Standing at the northwest end of Memorial Bridge, which crosses the Wepawaug River in Milford, is then 29-foot Memorial Tower. Built in 1889 to celebrate Milford’s 250th anniversary, the bridge and tower honor the city’s founders, whose exact resting places in Milford Cemetery are not known. The bridge and tower feature stones inscribed with the settlers’ names and dates. A collection of historical artifacts are also mounted to the structure, which was built on the site of the city’s first mill and features an original stone from the mill. An inscription on the tower honors Robert Treat, a notable early settler and governor of the Connecticut Colony. Over the tower‘s entrance is a stylized portrait of a Native American and a representation of the mark of Ansantawae, sachem of the Wepawaug or Paugussett nation, Milford’s original inhabitants.
